Bianca Stone Chappelle released

Bianca Stone Chappelle will be sentenced Sept. 4 in Greene County Common Pleas Court after being found guilty last month on some charges but cleared of more serious ones for her role in a string of nine burglaries in Yellow Springs.

Chappelle, 33, was indicted in May with Oliver Simons, 34, both former Yellow Springs residents living in Xenia, for their alleged participation in the theft of cash, jewelry, currency and other valuables from local homes from January to May.

As part of a negotiated plea agreement with the Greene County prosecutor’s office, Chappelle pled no contest on July 24 to charges of receiving stolen property. She was found guilty by Judge Michael Buckwalter on five counts, with one a fifth-degree felony and the others first-degree misdemeanors. At the prosecution’s request, Buckwalter dismissed the more serious felony charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, conspiracy, burglary and money laundering.

Chappelle was released from Greene County Jail on her own recognizance, pending sentencing. She faces a maximum sentence of 12 months in prison, according to Greene County Clerk of Courts Terri Mazur. But, Mazur said, the prosecutor’s office will recommend that Chappelle be placed on community control with drug treatment and that she be allowed to serve her probation in Florida.

Simons remains in the Greene County Jail awaiting a Sept. 23 trial. He has yet to enter a plea.